Counting devices for use with knitting needles



June 19, 1962 N. T. SANDERS 3,039,684

COUNTING DEVICES FOR USE WITH KNITTING NEEDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 24, 1958 Inventor NORMAN THOMAS SANDERS ttorney' COUNTING DEVICES FOR USE WITH KNITTING NEEDLES I Filed Nov. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VII/I/Il Inventor NORMAN THOMAS SANDERS y WIW United States Patent Office 3,039,684 Patented June 19, 1962 3,039,684 COUNTING DEVICES FOR USE WITH KNITTING NEEDLES Norman Thomas Sanders, Studley, England, assignor to Needle Industries Limited, Birmingham, England, a British company Filed Nov. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 775,795 Claims priority, application Great Britain Feb. 13, 1958 8 Claims. (Cl. 235117) This invention relates to a counting device for use in association with a hand knitting needle for the purpose of counting rows of knitting, such counting device being of the kind comprising a sleeve-like assembly incorporating a viewing aperture or window which is arranged to expose one or more numerals marked on a member or members rotatable with respect to the viewing aperture or window, the arrangement being that the sleeve-like assembly is capable of being threaded on to the shank of a hand knitting needle, said counting device being also provided with means for retention against axial displacement when it is in position on the knitting needle.

I It is desirable in the construction of such counting devices that the weight thereof be kept as low as possible so as to reduce the load placed on the knitting needle. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a new or improved construction in which the overall weight is relatively small.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a counting device which is adapted to be used with hand knitting needles of various sizes but which, nevertheless, remains in the desired position on the knitting needle when the latter is in use.

Yet a-further object of the present invention is to provide a counting device wherein there are no loose or structurally separate parts such as springs which might cause an undesirable rattle or other noises when the device is used.

Another object of the present invention is to form a counting device having retention means which do not damage the surface of the knitting needle when the device is in its operative position.

In accordance with the-present invention a counting device of the character specified including an assembly of sleeves affording a bore having an axis extending coaxially with said sleeves the latter comprising at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spaced positions thereon for selective exposure through said viewing aperture, is characteri'sed by the provision of means for retaining the device in position on the shank of a knitting needle comprising at least one retaining member, extending cross-wise of said bore, connecting means hingedly connecting said re taining member to said assembly at one of its sides only situated at one side of said bore to swing about a hinge axis extending substantially parallel to that of said bore, said connecting means incorporating means restraining said retaining member elastically against said hinging movement, whereby it is adapted upon insertion of said shank into said bore to be deflected about said hinge axis and to be maintained in pressure contact with said shank to retain said device on said shank.

In a preferred form of the invention a plurality of retaining members of fin-like form are provided, these extending cross-wise of the bore and including a first group which are substantially parallel to each other and a second group which are also substantially parallel to each other and transverse to those of the first group to form a structure which is of cellular form as viewed axially of said bore, connecting means connecting each of said fin-like retaining members cantilever-wise along one only of its edges extending substantially parallel to the axis of said bore to said assembly, and each of said retaining members being made of resilient non-metallic material.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a counting device constructed in accordance with the present invention with one of the sleeves having the numerals detached from the device.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation showing the completely assembled device.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional elevation on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional elevation illustrating an alternative construction, and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 6--6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring firstly to FIGURES 1 to 4, one form of counting device constructed in accordance with the present invention and adapted for use in conjunction with a knitting needle comprises a sleeve assembly 10, together with a pair of sleeves 11. The latter are each provided with numerals, generally indicated by reference numeral 12, which are spaced around a part of the circumference of the associated sleeve 11.

Said sleeve assembly 10 is provided on its, exterior surface with a plurality of ribs 13, by means of which a secure grip can be obtained and the sleeve 10 is further provided with a pair of slot-like viewing apertures 14, which are each adapted to expose a numeral marked on one of the sleeves 11.

Said sleeve assembly 10 is also provided centrally of its length with a radially inwardly extending web 15 which is integrally connected on its inner side to a tubular element formed as a pair of tubular spigots 16. Each spigot is co-axially arranged with respect to the outer portion of the sleeve assembly 10 and furthermore projects axially somewhat beyond the adjacent outer edge of said portion.

When the complete counting device is assembled each of the two sleeves 11 is located against axial inward movement by the web'15 and against outward axial movement by a portion 17 (see FIGURE 4) of the adjacent spigot 16 which is turned outwardly to form a lateral flange after the sleeve 11 has been assembled.

For retaining the counting device against displacement on the knitting needle when in use we provide retaining means in the form of four fins, which are arranged in two groups each containing a pair of fins. One pair is indicated by reference numeral 18 in FIGURE 3, and the other pair by reference numeral 19. The two fins 18 extend parallel to each other and at right angles to the two fins 19, which are also parallel to each other. Furthermore, each fin is connected along one axially extending edge to the wall of the bore, the opposite axially extending edge being free, and the. two fins of each pair of fins are connected to the wall of the bore at opposite axially extending edges as will be seen in FIGURE 3. The connecting means whereby the fins are connected to the wall of the bore is constituted by integral portions of each fin and of the walls of the bore which are united with each other at the point of connection as hereinafter referred to. It will be evident therefore that these connecting means exert cantilever restraint upon deflection of the fin concerned in a direction transverse to its own plane, but due to the resilient character of the material of the fin as hereinafter mentioned, the latter can undergo deflection to hinge about an axis located at or near the point of connection of the fin to the tubular element with which it is integrally connected and which extends axially of the bore. Thus, it Willbe seen that each fin has one axially extending free edge and, furthermore, that the interior of the bore contains'a cellular structure formed by the fins and aifording a plurality of open-ended cells extending axially of the bore and into any one of which the shank of a knitting needle may be inserted. The particular compartment selected-will depend upon the diameter of the needle so that one or more of the fins is displaced or deflected laterally and in so doing exerts a gripping pressure upon the knitting needle in view of the resilience of the material from which the fins are formed. Preferably in fact such fins are formed integrally with the tubular element comprising spigots 16 aforesaid and the whole sleeve assembly 10' including the spigots 16 and the fins 18 and 19 is formed as a one-piece moulding in polythene.

An alternative construction is illustrated in FIGURES and 6 ancl'in this construction the general form of the counting device is similar to that already described except that instead of there being four retaining members or fins as previously described, there is now provided only one pair of fins. These'are indicated by reference numeral 20 and it will be seen from FIGURES 5 and 6 that such fins 20 are parallel to each other and extend inwardly across the bore from opposite sides thereof, each fin having one axially extending edge connected to the wall of the bore and the opposite edge free as before. Preferably the arrangement is such as is shown in FIGURE 5 in which the two this 20 are spaced by equal distances on opposite sides of a parallel diametral plane. Furthermore,

each fin extends for the major portion of the length of the'bore. In use a knitting needle would be inserted as before into'any of the apertures presented so as to deflect or displace either or both of said fins 20. The fins are; also formed in this construction'integrally with the tubular spigot 16 as a "moulding in polythene so that they possess resilience which enables the shank of the knitting needle to be gripped.

The construction described with reference to FIG- URES l to 4 divides the interior of the bore into a greater number ofcornpartments or openings than is the case with the construction shown in FIGURES 5 and '6, and the former is better adapted to be used with knitting needles having greater variation in shank di- 'amet'er.

In either of the above constructions, however, the counting device is of an entirely non-metallic construction which embodies retaining members formed integrally with the sleeve-like assembly aforesaid. Thus the device is light in weight and furthermore there are no loose springs or other parts which may produce undesirable rattles or other noises when the device is used. Further, the absence of metallic springs removes the risk of damage to the smooth and sometimes soft surface of the knitting needle with which the counting device is to be used, particularly when such counter is being slid along the needle to its position adjacent the knob or when it is being removed therefrom.

What I claim then is:

1. In a counting device of the character specified including an assembly of sleeves affording a bore having an axis extending coaxially with said sleeves, the latter comprising at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spaced positions thereon for selective exposure through said viewing aperture; the provision ofmeans for retaining said 7 device in position on theshank of a knitting needle comprising at least one retaining member of fin-like form extending cross-wise of said bore from one side thereof towards the opposite side to. sub-divide the bore, connecting means at said one side connecting said retaining member cantilever-wise along one only of its edges extending substantially parallel to the axis of said bore to said assembly, said retaining member being made of resilient non-metallic material whereby it is adapted upon insertion of said shank into said bore to be deflected cantileverwise with respect to said edge and to be maintained in pressure contact with said shank to retain said device on said shank.

2. In a counting device of the character specified including an assembly of sleeves afiording a bore having an axis extending coaxially with said sleeves, the latter comprising at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and ,said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spacedpositions thereon for selective exposurethrough said viewing aperture, the provision of means for retaining said device in position on the shank of a knitting needle, comprising a plurality of retaining members of fin-like form extending cross-wise of said bore and including a first group which are substantially parallel to each other and a second group which are also substantially parallel to each other and transverse to those of the first group to form a structure which is of cellular form as viewed axially of said bore, connectingmeans connecting each of said fin-like retaining members cantilever-wise along one only of its edges extending substantially parallel to the axis of said bore to said assembly, and each of said retaining members being made of resilient nonmetallic material.

3. In a counting device of the character specified including an assembly of sleeves affording a bore having an axis extending coaxially with said sleeves, the latter comprising at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spaced'positions thereon for selective exposure through said viewing aperture, the provision of means for retaining said device in position on the shank of a knitting needle, comprising a plurality of retaining members of fin-like form extending cross-wise ofsaid bore said iretaining members including a first group which are substantially parallel to each other and a second group which are also substantially parallel to each other and transverse to those of the-first group, said groups being offset from each other longitudinally of said bore and together forming a structure which is cellular as viewed axially of said bore, connecting means connecting each of said fin-like retaining members cantilever-wise along one only of its edges extending substantially parallel to the axis of said boreto said assembly, and each of said retaining' members being madeof resilient non-metallic material.

4. In arcounting device of the character specified in cluding an assembly of sleeves alfording a bore having I an axis extend coaxially with said sleeves, the latter comprising at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves beingassembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having ,a plurality of numeral markings at circtunferentially axially of said bore, each of said groups containing retaining members connected cantilever-wise to said assembly along respective edges of said retaining members disposed at opposite sides of said bore while being free with respect to said assembly at their opposite edges.

5. In a counting device of the character specified including, an assembly of sleeves having an inner tubular element affording a bore for'the reception of a knitting pin shank, at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spaced positions thereon for selective exposure through said viewing aperture; the provision of means for retaining said device in position on the shank of a knitting needle, comprising at least one retaining member extending cross-wise of said bore from one side thereof towards the opposite side to sub-divide the bore, said retaining member being united at one only of its ends situated at one side of said bore with said tubular element, said retaining member being made of resilient non-metallic material to be deflected upon insertion of said shank into said bore and to be maintained in pressure contact with said shank to retain said device on said shank.

6. In a counting device of the character specified including, an assembly of sleeves having an inner tubular element afiording a bore for the reception of a knitting pin shank, at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spaced positions thereon for selective exposure through said viewing aperture, the provision of means for retaining said device in position on the shank of a knitting needle, comprising a plurality of retaining members of fin-like form extending cross-wise of said bore at least a pair of said retaining members being substantially parallel to each other and disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said bore, said retaining members each being united along one only of their edges extending axially of said bore with said tubular element, and said retaining members being made of resilient non-metallic material.

7. In a counting device of the character specified ineluding, an assembly of sleeves having an inner tubular element aflording a bore for the reception of a knitting pin shank, at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spaced positions thereon for selective exposure through said viewing aperture, the provision of means for retaining said device in position on the shank of a knitting needle, comprising a cellular structure disposed in said bore and having a plurality of cell walls formed of resilient no-nmetallic material extending in planes generally parallel to the axis of said bore and spaced apart from each other to define a plurality of cells each open at both ends and extending longitudinally of said bore.

8. In a counting device of the character specified including, an assembly of sleeves having an inner tubular element affording a bore for the reception of a knitting pin shank, at least one inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, said sleeves being assembled concentrically with each other and being relatively rotatable, and said outer sleeve having a viewing aperture, and said inner sleeve having a plurality of numeral markings at circumferentially spaced positions thereon for selective exposure through said viewing aperture, the provision of means for retaining said device in position on the shank of a knitting needle, comprising a cellular structure disposed in said bore and having a plurality of cell walls formed of resilient non-metallic material extending in planes generally parallel to the axis of said bore and spaced apart from each other to define a plurality of cells each open at both ends and extending longitudinally of said bore, and of differing cross-sectional dimensions so as to grip the shanks of knitting needles of dilterent diameters when inserted therethrough respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,649,641 Young Aug. 25, 1953 2,821,953 Langbart et al Feb. 4, 1958 2,887,858 Sanders May 26, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,163 Great Britain 1886 424,432 Great Britain Feb. 21, 1935 

